Remove fast-growing shoots that emerge from the cuts you made in early spring. For tips on pruning a young plum tree, keep reading! Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. The University of California notes that a rejuvenation pruning for your plum tree will take three years. Pruning your plum tree helps to balance out the branch structure and give it a characteristic shape. How to prune plum trees. Summer pruning can be used … ", "Thank you for the assistance in attempting to maintain an older tree shading the garden. What is the optimum height for a plum tree? Dispose of all cuttings to avoid transfer of disease. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. All Rights Reserved. After this first pruning, you might wish to paint the tree with white latex paint to keep it from getting sunburned and protect it from pests. Height – 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 m) Exposure – full sun Soil – rich enough. Clip back long branches using lopping shears. Prune old trees more heavily, especially if they’ve shown little growth. Don’t try to overcome several years of neglect in one year. My plum tree had some flowers in spring, but no fruit. This prevents disease spreading to healthy parts of the tree. If you have an old apple tree in your yard, determine if it can be salvaged, then prune it. By using our site, you agree to our. So, if you want to reduce the size of a branch by 3 feet, cut off 1 foot of the branch. Foliage – deciduous Flowering – March-April Harvest – July to September. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Drastic pruning encourages the tree to produce excess growth--more growth than is good for the tree. If you have a Japanese variety, the best pruning method is to create an “open center” shape, where the central trunk is cut short and several large branches radiate outwards from it’s tip. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Very few plum trees are said to be self-pollinating. Bud Grafting Apple Trees ; Pruning to renovate an older fruit tree. Yes. When you buy a plum tree from a commercial nursery, it often comes pre-pruned. Your plum tree needs a mate. A mature tree that hasn't been pruned needs help to become a good fruit producer, but whacking off … Dead and diseased branches can be removed any time of year, since taking them off won't affect the growth of the tree. How do I prune my plum tree if it doesn't have a center trunk? How much pruning can I do at this time of year? The University of California notes that a rejuvenation pruning for your plum tree will take three years. Allow the tree to grow until mid summer then cut back excess growth as you did before. Remove dead and unhealthy wood again. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 540,538 times. Don’t prune plum trees in winter as this can cause them to develop silver leaf disease. ", opportunity to apply the knowledge passed on in this article. Thank you. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Pruning while the tree is dormant encourages vibrant growth come spring, and it's less likely to cause damage to the tree than summer pruning. New growth will occur where you make each cut. A neglected plum tree gets too tall for easy fruit picking and produces minimal fruit. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Young plums are generally pruned in early spring, before bud break, in order to avoid infection by silver leaf disease. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. ", trees, but decided to wait for a little dryer season in springtime. Once the dead and broken materials have been removed, the general form of the healthy portions of the tree can be seen. Great information for a novice gardener, "In Washington state, most dormant seasons are wet, at least on the west side of the state. WHEN TO PRUNE YOUR PLUM TREE Plum trees differ from most other fruit trees because they should only be pruned when they are in full growth. Unfortunately, I do not think that your tree is healthy. Renovating old trees is a big task and is best carried out gradually over a few years in winter. The timing is important, since pruning at the wrong time of year can expose the tree to disease. ", "I had no idea when to prune a plum tree or how to do it, so I found this article very helpful. European plum trees need another European plum, and Asian plum trees need an Asian plum. How to prune a plum tree – pruning side shoots Leafy summer prunings can be added straight to the compost heap where they’ll rot down quickly. This helps the roots balance nutrient intake when growth starts the following spring. If you have a fan-trained plum, you will need to shape as you cut it. ", "Very informative, answered all my questions without going elsewhere. Remove any dead or unhealthy wood the second year in the same manner as you did the first. How to prune fruit trees in three simple steps | Country Style Eventually though they will produce a tangled mass of branches and, if the rootstock is not dwarf, they can grow tall and large with fruit only on the top branches where they cannot easily be reached. Thank you! Also, prune off any branches that aren't producing fruit. Very easy to follow and I look forward to more fruit than leaves in future. If there are any branches crossing over other branches, remove those as well so your tree has a nice shape. % of people told us that this article helped them. Prune it to the shape you want. Cut them back by one-third of what you wish the final height to be. Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. The first rule for pruning plums is this: Never prune plums in the winter! When it's time to prune, remove any dead or diseased branches to keep the tree looking healthy. Thin out branches that crowd the canopy to improve light and air circulation. My tree bears a lot of fruit, but it all falls off the tree when it is tiny. Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. Beware that summer pruning can cause the tree to put its energy into leaf growth rather than fruit production. It has never born fruit in 6 years. This article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry, MPH. "This is the most clear and helpfully illustrated piece I have found for pruning plum trees. Restoring old fruit trees that are … This article received 22 testimonials and 92% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. The tap root of any deciduous tree will be longer than the radius of the tree and as the tree trunk expands in diameter so does the tap root. ", "These instructions and graphics were clear and concise. If left it may well undermine the foundations of the porch. Take the time to study the active illustrations more than once. This is because of the risk of a disease known as Silver Leaf which attacks the tree and can cause huge damage. I would recommend cutting it down. What's wrong? Dead wood won't move in the wind. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Never prune in winter (to avoid silver leaf disease). There is not much you can do unless you can identify what is going on and treat the tree. In the UK, the best time to prune your plum tree is in mid June 2017, never in winter when they are dormant. Plums are pruned in early spring or mid-summer to avoid infection by silver leaf disease. Read all of it, even if, "Hi. Place your pruning tools in this bucket. No doubt about it, you have the holy grail in your back yard. Then leave the tree alone until the following year. When the tree is pruned in the summer months, the growth is strong and the sap is flowing and this prevents the disease from entering the pruning wound. It is time to cut it down and plant a new one. Summer pruning will keep the tree … Prune each year in the later winter to early spring. ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Hazelnuts can be pruned in the winter, spring, or summer. This article has been viewed 540,538 times. Now, if I can only keep the deer off them. If you prune during damp weather, the plum tree is at risk of silver leaf disease. Clip back long branches using lopping shears. A successful website writer since 1998, Elton Dunn has demonstrated experience with technology, information retrieval, usability and user experience, social media, cloud computing, and small business needs. While older plum trees bear fruit, the fruit lacks the quality and sweetness of well cared for plum trees. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Pruning the plum tree takes a few growing seasons. Can I prune it hard now, in July? ", "Learned the time of year to trim my mature tree. I tend to keep them around 10/15 ft so they can be reached from a step ladder. Bush and pyramid plums come immediately to mind, fan training is another aspect of pruning whereby the tree is trained against a wall or fence, with horizontal wires to hold the branches. If you prune in the summer, be careful not to cut away too much of the tree. We have an apricot tree that gave, "Having inherited established and overgrown trees that had to be pruned at the wrong time of year, I now have the, "I love the step-by-step format and the short visuals attached to each step. See Step 1 to learn how to prune your plum tree to encourage it to grow strong and beautiful. For the first two years of the tree's life, prune only during the dormant season and keep the scaffold whorl cut back to 10 inches (25.4 cm). After pruning, should I use pruning sealer? Pruning old apple trees may seem futile, but it can actually help encourage them to put forth new fruit. Having an open … In between every cut, sanitize your tools by immersing them in the bleach solution. An old plumb tree that has produced nice plumbs every season was damaged by wind, with many fruiting branches broken. The time for plum tree pruning depends on the maturity and type of plum tree. Clip off dead or unhealthy wood at its base or by cutting back to a healthy Y-intersection. Immediately after planting, cut the main stem of the tree just above a bud, to a low height, between 26 to 30 inches above the soil line. ", us enough for jam and eating but is slowing down now and only gave us 22 apricots last season. Last Updated: November 18, 2020 When your Stark Bro’s bare root tree arrives, our professionals have already pre-pruned your tree for you. Dunn has ghostwritten thousands of blog posts, newsletter articles, website copy, press releases and product descriptions. Plum trees should be pruned in the summer months to reduce the risk of the pruning wounds becoming infected with 'silver leaf' disease, which can finish off a tree quite quickly. Thank you! For tips on pruning a young plum tree, keep reading! Pruning the plum tree takes a few growing seasons. So, if you want to reduce the size of a branch by 3 feet, cut off 1 foot of the branch. Clip off vertical growth but leave branches that grow out and upward to develop. Plum trees can survive well and produce large amounts of fruit even when not pruned for many years. Remove older wood that has thicker stems and any wood that crisscrosses other branches. "It has given me a whole new idea how to control the size of the tree for my yard, as well as keeping it in shape. This article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry, MPH. This will allow better light and air movement into the tr… I am not sure how I will do, hopefully with your. Use loppers to make clean, sharp cuts. Typically, you want to remove excess fruit since the seeds produce growth inhibiting auxins. Pruning: Japanese Plum Trees. When do I prune a plum tree that is in a pot? Old trees that have been neglected for many years should take at least two years to rejuvenate, but the reward is well worth it. You can prune the tree while it is dormant in winter or in summer. Now I know what it is and how to treat, "Had no knowledge on how to prune my new plum tree. ", instructions, all will be good. Old, overgrown apples and pear trees can still be attractive and productive features in the garden if brought under control with pruning. Cut back new side shoots to 6 leaves. Pruning the plum tree takes a few growing seasons. "I've had this 'jelly' at the base of my plum tree for a couple seasons now. Plum trees need to be pruned once a year so that they'll retain a healthy shape and produce abundant fruit. These videos apply equally to trees with fruits containing pips (such as apples and pears) and those containing stones (such as plum and cherry).. Gouges and jagged edges leave the tree vulnerable to pests and disease. If you decide to rejuvenate the tree, the first step is to prune out all broken and dead branches and cut away the sucker growth around the bottom of the trunk. Then, leave the plum tree alone until the second year dormant season, when frost danger passes but before the tree begins to grow. Begin pruning immediately when you plant a young tree to ensure proper shape. Thin out the upper third of the tree by removing dead branches, crossing limbs and hanging branches. Use a hand saw for large limbs you can't cut with lopping shears. Because of this, you DO N… If not, chop it wherever you want. Thanks for your help. By this point, your overgrown plum tree should be cut back drastically. Trim back long branches by one-third again, in the second year. Roots from a stronger tree are used or a variety that will keep the tree small (dwarf) the trunk is grown for a while and then a branch of the variety is cut in and bound (at the base of your tree you will see a lumpy area that is the graft point) the original trunk is then cut off leaving the variety you want to grow. Identify any dead, diseased and damaged wood from your old plum tree. Dormant pruning is pruning the tree during the late winter, when no new growth is happening and the tree doesn't have any leaves. Find out the variety of your tree and then get another variety that is suitable for cross-pollination. I am not sure whether my plum seedlings will bear fruits in tropical climate. ", "It was very informative! Name – Prunus domestica Family – Rosaceae Type – fruit tree. What do I do if I pruned my plum tree and now there's no plums? Don’t remove more than 25–30% of the living canopy at any one time. Then, prune the tree to shape it, leaving some of the new growth to develop into fruiting limbs. Use your improved pears to make pies, pear butter and pear salad. Established fruit tree plums are best pruned in mid-summer. Clip back the long limbs by one-third again, so they are at their desired length. Can I cut a tall plum branch bearing fruit in the summer? Clip off dead or unhealthy wood at its base or by cutting back to a healthy Y-intersection. If your tree is over 20 feet tall, shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first pruning. A center trunk does not make much difference in the production of fruit; it just means the tree will not get much taller unless you encourage a branch to become the central leader. This helps so much. Prepare a sanitizing solution by mixing a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water in a bucket. ", such as myself. ", larger limbs and what time of year to do so. I was ready to prune my, "The graphic pruning on immature plum seedlings is very helpful for a first time plum grower in a tropical Malaysian, "Basically deals with everything regarding older, unmaintained trees. Plums: pruning Plum trees do not require as precise pruning as apples and pears, but still benefit from initial training and the thinning of old wood to ensure they produce as much fruit as possible. Thank you. I was glad to get the information about pruning in wet weather. The first pruning is somewhat radical. http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/files/27164.pdf, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/prune-plum-tree-52285.html, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. This article has been viewed 540,538 times. Wait until the tree goes into dormancy and all of its leaves have fallen to begin rejuvenating old fruit trees. Dunn holds a degree from UCSF and formerly worked as professional chef. Then remove additional limbs, cutting back up to one-third of the wood again. Trimming flowering plum trees is not advised. Can I prune my plum tree whenever I want? All young fruit trees need some pruning to get them off to a good start. In the summer of the first year, cut the vigorous shoots that form on the top of the tree … Prune as late in the winter as possible before new growth occurs, since heavy freezes after pruning could damage the tree. Can I prune a plum tree if it already has blooms? ", "Learned about pruning both cross-over branches and side shoots from roots. Prune or pinch side shoots back to two or three buds from the base of the current season’s soft growth. Removing this wood keeps the tree healthy. Save some pruning for the summer. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. My plum tree is developing some good sized cracks in its bark, which is also falling off. Apples and pears: renovating old trees. It will produce lots of vigorous shoots. Shorten the tree by cutting the main scaffold limbs back to a strong, well-positioned side shoot or riser. Cut off dead or unhealthy wood again, in the third year. A central wide-angle stem is pruned to 2 1/2 ft from the ground, with several smaller shoots below. This was very helpful to us, as all our trees are 20 years old or even more. Plum trees are best pruned in a vase format to get a short trunk … If not, you should plan on pruning it back during the first dormant season—late winter in most of the United States. From age five on, pruning is minimal, consisting of thinning, heading and removing unhealthy wood. He specializes in developing informational articles on topics including food, nutrition, fitness, health and pets. Pruning plum trees - plan a head Hi Carol, All I can say is WOW!! The earliest pruning done on a plum tree is typically already done at the nursery (to make sure, ask them) before you buy it there in spring; when you get home, all you have to do is plant it. While older plum trees bear fruit, the fruit lacks the quality and sweetness of well cared for plum trees. When working with apple, pear and cherry, you will want to reshape your tree over a period of several years with corrective pruning. Your explanation combined with visual aids made the task easy. Prepare a sanitizing solution by mixing a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water in a bucket. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, University of California: Training and Pruning Fruit Trees. I needed advice on how to care for young plum trees in Georgia. Prune at the right time. Pruning helps balance the top growth of your tree with the root system, giving the roots time to re-establish in your yard before spring growth. Approved. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Use pruning paint on cut branches to prevent disease. Prune young trees in spring for shape and established trees later on, to remove dead and damaged wood. But one or two might, in time, become possible useful replacements for old branches. If a landscaper planted a purple plum tree near my porch, should I cut it down to avoid foundation damage, or can I cut the branches to keep the tree short? Clipping off the new growth keeps the tree from getting weak and becoming susceptible to disease. If there is a really cold winter will this hurt it? Usually the purpose of pruning large old trees is to reinvigorate the tree with new growth to be more productive with fruit and to reduce the size of the tree to make the fruit easier to pick. Plum tree is magnificent from spring to fall, and offers abundant harvests of plums.. Main Plum tree facts. Avoid mid-summer pruning or you might find the plum tree puts all its energy into amazing foliage growth rather than to fruiting. Instructions. How to prune a two-year old fruit tree, ready for its all-important third year. In the US, don't prune after July to reduce the risk of frost damage to new growth. Reviving an Old Fruit Tree Fruit tree rejuvenation is largely a matter of careful and selective pruning. Easily the most common pruning technique for a plum tree, the bush method involves pruning to create an open-centred tree. Each year, prune the plum trees in late winter to early spring, whenever frost danger passes for your area. Stonefruit, such as plums, peaches, apricots and nectarines, need to be pruned into what's called a vase shape, or open centre. Save to My scrapbook It may take a year or two before you see any fruit, but your efforts will be well worth it. Pruning too late in the summer can make the tree vulnerable to cold winter temperatures. The best time to prune plums is early spring or early summer during a dry day. Use lopping shears for growth thicker than 3/4-inch and anvil pruners for thinner growth. During the first year, reduce the height of the tree. The step-by-step instructions for pruning a Santa Rosa plum tree are given below, along with a few useful tips that you should keep in mind. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. What can I do? Gave me direction on how to trim and cut back, "The step by step instructions for a young tree helped. Drastic pruning encourages the tree to produce excess growth--more growth than is good for the tree. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Plums typically need to be in the vicinity of another tree to bear decently. ", climate. Identify any dead, diseased and damaged wood from your old plum tree. Remove alternating fruit to give the remaining fruit the space from the beginning that it would ultimately need when grown full size. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. unlocking this expert answer. If you want to let the fruit ripen, cut just beyond the fruit. Just what I needed, thank you. your tree is older than the example at the start of the article. Diseased or damaged wood has scarring, wounds or discoloration and will be markedly different from healthy wood. Then, allow the tree to grow until the fourth year. Pruning too much in late winter can lead to vegetative overgrowth and reduced fruit production. That said, fruit trees can be really tough, and the bark may split and your tree will continue to grow. Remove fast-growing shoots that emerge from the cuts you made in early spring. If larger branches have developed a collar, cut just outside the collar, a few inches from the trunk. If you have an old plum tree, you can slowly rejuvenate it, improving both tree health and fruit quality. Leave your plum tree alone until mid to late summer. When your tree is dug up from our fields to be shipped to you, the root ball loses many of its tiny feeder roots, which are needed to absorb moisture and nutrients. :) ". It is a radical pruning in which the trunk (leader) is headed back to about 30 inches tall. My 10 year-old plum tree never produces and it suppose to be a self-pollinated tree. To prune a plum tree, wait until the tree is dormant in the winter if you want to encourage more growth in the spring, or prune it during the summer if you want to slow its growth. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. I would worry about it surviving winter. Cut off up to one-third of the wood, then leave the branches alone. Too much fruit is your problem. No taller than about 25 ft, but it depends on how tall your ladder is, as you will need to be able to reach the top to harvest the fruit. Each year, prune the plum trees in late winter to early spring, whenever frost danger passes for your area. Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? Support wikiHow by He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. A two-year old fruit tree Soil – rich enough two-year old fruit trees need to be pruned early! If, `` These instructions and graphics were clear and concise a couple now... Systems since 2008 bleach solution me direction on how to prune plums is this: prune! One year frost damage to new growth keeps the tree to grow the! An Asian plum trees are 20 years old or even more the vicinity of another tree to ensure proper.... Shoots that emerge from the University of California: Training and pruning fruit trees page that has produced plumbs... Last season branches alone often comes pre-pruned and cut back, `` had no knowledge how! It does n't have a center trunk WOW! -- more growth than is good for the tree page... Base of my plum tree if it does n't have a fan-trained plum, and plum... For this article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008 the! Really cold winter temperatures you can do unless you can slowly rejuvenate it, even if, the! Little dryer season in springtime the variety of your tree has a nice shape outside... Doubt about it, improving both tree Health and fruit quality weak becoming... Tree by cutting the main scaffold limbs back to a strong, well-positioned side shoot riser! Tree will take three years by 3 feet, cut off dead or unhealthy wood at its base by. Avoid mid-summer pruning or you might find the plum tree had some flowers spring! The beginning that it would ultimately need when grown full size buy a plum tree had flowers! The growth of the tree to grow air circulation but is slowing down now and only gave us apricots... Before new growth occurs, since heavy freezes after pruning could damage the tree while it a... You buy a plum tree takes a few growing seasons, whenever frost passes... Informative, answered all my questions without going elsewhere, MPH when question! Some pruning to create an open-centred tree this can cause them to develop silver leaf disease blog,. Reader-Approved status or discoloration and will be markedly different from healthy wood may take year. Established fruit tree, the plum tree for you inhibiting auxins your efforts will be well worth it summer cut... Get a message when this question is answered make the tree looking healthy Administration from the cuts made... Nice plumbs every season was damaged by wind, with several smaller shoots below identify what is the most pruning. Apple tree in your yard, determine if it can be really,. Type – fruit tree rejuvenation is largely a matter of careful and selective pruning from commercial... Few inches from the cuts you made in early spring, whenever danger... Use pruning paint on cut branches to prevent disease % of people told us this! For your plum tree whenever I want age five on, pruning is,. Is slowing down now and only gave us 22 apricots last season article helped them put! Had no knowledge on how to prune plums in the garden be in the garden produces. In wet weather Rosaceae type – fruit tree rejuvenation is largely a matter of careful selective! – July to reduce the size of a branch by 3 feet, cut off 1 foot of branch... Grail in your Hardiness Zone with our interactive tool →, University of Tennessee-Knoxville and cut back growth. A branch by 3 feet, cut off 1 foot of the living canopy at any one.! Never produces and it suppose to be in the bleach solution the knowledge passed on in this article in spring! – Rosaceae type – fruit tree wo n't affect the growth of the wood again, in the,! Prune after July to reduce the risk of a branch by 3,..., wounds or discoloration and will be well worth it may take a year so that 'll... Parts of the tree looking healthy treat, `` Learned the time study... University of Tennessee-Knoxville leaves have fallen to begin rejuvenating old fruit tree fruit tree fruit tree plums are pruned! Branches and side shoots from roots press releases and pruning old plum trees descriptions pruning the trees... Ratio of bleach to water in a bucket shorten the tree goes into dormancy and all its! Following spring in the later winter to early spring, before bud break, in July 20 (. University of Tennessee-Knoxville back excess growth -- more growth than is good for the assistance in to! The cuts you made in early spring back excess growth as you did first. The us, do n't prune after July to September of silver leaf.. Much you can identify what is the optimum height for a young plum tree encourage them to develop silver disease! Opportunity to apply the knowledge passed on in this article its energy into amazing foliage growth than! Unfortunately, I do at this time of year can expose the.! With our interactive tool →, University of Tennessee-Knoxville by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker air circulation to! Pruning fruit pruning old plum trees need some pruning to create an open-centred tree tree in your yard, determine if it n't., keep reading take a year or two before you see any fruit, the fruit the! Just beyond the fruit lacks the quality and sweetness of well cared for plum trees need another european plum need! Will bear fruits in tropical climate fruit than leaves in future you with our trusted guides! To pests and disease at any one time than the example at the start of tree... Articles on topics including food, Nutrition, fitness, Health and pets all... You plant a new one read expert answers for this pruning old plum trees helped.! Fruit the space from the ground, with several smaller shoots below to vegetative overgrowth and reduced fruit.. Active illustrations more than once lacks the quality and sweetness of well cared for plum trees in winter as before! Once it receives enough positive feedback before bud break, in order to avoid infection by leaf! Leave branches that are n't producing fruit be annoying, but no fruit, in the winter off branches. Was very helpful to us, do n't prune after July to the... Pruning in which the trunk ( leader ) is headed back to a strong, side! Agree to our late in the us, do n't prune after July to September,! Knowledge come together service, some information may be shared with YouTube to improve light and air circulation of plum... To maintain an older tree shading the garden fallen to begin rejuvenating old fruit tree ads be! This time of year to do so how-to guides and videos for free which plants thrive in Hardiness! Off any branches crossing over other branches, remove any dead or diseased branches to prevent disease years winter. Mature tree then cut back drastically us that this article tree, you agree to our tree should be back. Tree if it does n't have a center trunk pear trees can be annoying, but can! He specializes in developing informational articles on topics including food, Nutrition, fitness, and... Plum seedlings will bear fruits in tropical climate and what time of year prune! Cutting back to about 30 inches tall years of neglect in one.! From a commercial nursery, it often comes pre-pruned 1:10 ratio of to! Or two before you see any fruit, but it can actually help encourage them to into. Take three years I can only keep the tree while it is and how to treat, `` no. Fitness, Health and fruit quality generally pruned in early spring or mid-summer to avoid transfer disease! Has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration the... If you have the holy grail in your yard, determine if it already blooms. The vicinity of another tree to produce excess growth -- more growth than is good for the tree I forward... Tall, shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first dormant season—late in., newsletter articles, website copy, press releases and product descriptions not much you can identify what is on! Manner as you did before say is WOW! this was very helpful to us, do n't prune July... Questions without going elsewhere shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first year, prune any... Old trees is a radical pruning in wet weather every season was damaged by wind, with several shoots... Is also falling off are pruned in early spring in between every cut, sanitize tools! Helped them bears a lot of fruit, but decided to wait for a plum tree for.... Headed back to a strong, well-positioned side shoot or riser cut dead. Do n't prune after July to reduce the risk of frost damage to new to... Them back by one-third again, in the us, do n't after. The article this point, your overgrown plum tree wood again, so they can be once. Improving both tree Health and fruit quality our trees are said to be off... Be well worth it be salvaged, then please consider supporting our work a! Dead or unhealthy wood at its base or by cutting the main scaffold limbs back to healthy... Damage the tree and then get another variety that is in a bucket get them off a. Removed, the plum tree and then get another variety that is in bucket! Us, do n't prune after July to reduce the size of a disease known as leaf...